Paul Millsap receives assurance from Hawks regarding his immediate future

According to a report, Paul Millsap has been assured by the Hawks that he won't be traded anytime soon due to Al Horford's departure.

Since the recent acquisition of center Dwight Howard, the Atlanta Hawks have had to do some damage control with All-Star forward Paul Millsap.

According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders the Hawks have assured Millsap that they have no intents to trade him.

Paul Millsap's trade chances

“The only reason Millsap’s name gets talked about in trade rumors is because the Hawks explored moving him to try and retain Al Horford in free agency. But with Horford gone, the Hawks continue to say Millsap is their guy. While he does have a $21 million player option for next season, the belief around the Hawks is that they are hanging on to him as the counter balance to newly acquired Dwight Howard.

“Now, much like many of the teams mentioned above, if the floor falls out from under the Hawks then moving Millsap might become a possibility. However, according to sources near the situation, Millsap has been assured he’s not going anywhere. …

“Like Cousins, Millsap may be one of the few guys mentioned in this piece you may want to keep an eye on this season. But any trade talks involving the forward likely don’t become real until December or January when the Hawks really know what they are.”

What to expect this season

The report makes plenty of sense — Millsap is an undersized power forward at 6-8, but possesses a Karl Malone-like skillset.

An excellent rebounder for his size, Millsap has great footwork, a smooth jumper that he's stretched to the three-point line, and a great basketball IQ that allows him to make plays for others.

His ability to play on the perimeter will make room for Howard to operate in the paint and get tip-ins and put-back dunks.

Because of his contract, the possibility of him moving still exists, but it's completely predicated in how the team performs and how they position themselves in the playoff berth by year's end.

Paul Millsap filled up the stat sheet for the Hawks last season, posting averages of 17.1 points, 9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.7 blocks per game — a fantasy player's dream line.